QF2: New Zealand v France, 17 October

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NEW ZEALAND v FRANCE

17 October 2015
KO: 20:00 BST (UTC+01)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Live on telly

Ref: Nigel Owens (Wales)
ARs: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) and John Lacey (Ireland)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

A. Head to Head

55 Played 55
42 Won 12
1 Drawn 1
12 Lost 42
1,345 Points 713

B. Recent Form

9 November 2013
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
19 – 26 to New Zealand

22 June 2013
Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
24 – 9 to New Zealand

15 June 2013
Rugby League Park, Christchurch
30 – 0 to New Zealand

8 June 2013
Eden Park, Auckland
23 – 13 to New Zealand

23 October 2011
Eden Park, Auckland
8 – 7 to New Zealand

24 September 2011
Eden Park, Auckland
37 – 17 to New Zealand

28 November 2009
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
12 – 39 to New Zealand

20 June 2009
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
14 – 10 to New Zealand

13 June 2009
Carisbrook, Dunedin
22 – 27 to France

6 October 2007
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
18 – 20 to France

C. TEAMS:

NEW ZEALAND

Ben Smith; Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea; Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Wyatt Crockett, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (capt), Kieran Read.

Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Joe Moody, Charlie Faumuina, Victor Vito, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Sonny Bill Williams

FRANCE

Scott Spedding; Noa Nakaitaci, Alexandre Dumoulin, Wesley Fofana, Brice Dulin; Frederic Michalak, Morgan Parra; Eddy Ben Arous, Guilhem Guirado, Rabah Slimani, Pascal Pape, Yoann Maestri, Thierry Dusautoir (capt), Bernard Le Roux, Louis Picamoles.

Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Damien Chouly, Yannick Nyanga, Rory Kockott, Remi Tales, Mathieu Bastareaud

That's all you guys ever talk about. So monotonously.

Ma'a so close. He deserved to score there.

Boy Wales were lucky to go out today.

Well that's NZ's "Final" revenge match against France done and dusted. It's all downhill from now.

What a hammering, AB v Aust final

Beaudie on for Milner -Skudder.

TJ wrote:

quinsforever wrote:yellow and reversing the decision? thats a double penalty

Orginal pen against McCaw for holding the ball on the ground.  reversed for foul play.  100% right

Correct although I still macaw should of got a yellow

The Loaded Dog wrote:

nathan wrote:Was that last pass forward?

Most likely. Ref can't be blamed for giving those however. We are all on the wrong end of those close calls at times.
I think it was still marginally forward but you'd have to let that one go in the context of the game.

I've noticed that most NH posters (save Notch and a couple of others) seem to want to talk about the ref and the rules.
Us southerners seem more interested in the game itself... for all of its little imperfections.

It's a fair point loaded, but when you're English, and your team got dumped out of the tournament, playing crap you feel you have the right to sow misery on someone else's party.

Can't agree with the OK in the context of the game bit though. It was forward, clearly, they had half a look and then let Carter decide!

aucklandlaurie wrote:Beaudie on for Milner -Skudder.

I think you're a bit behind play!

*spoiler alert - if doesn't end well for NZ *

The Loaded Dog wrote:That's all you guys ever talk about. So monotonously.

Ma'a so close. He deserved to score there.

Oh stop being so precious, New Zealand are an amazing team and get plenty of praise

As groundskeeper willie might say:

"Au revoir, ya cheese eatin surrender monkeys"

nathan wrote:

The Loaded Dog wrote:That's all you guys ever talk about. So monotonously.

Ma'a so close. He deserved to score there.

Oh stop being so precious, New Zealand are an amazing team and get plenty of praise

Not being precious at all. You just don't seem to give them as much praise as others do.

The Loaded Dog wrote:

nathan wrote:

The Loaded Dog wrote:That's all you guys ever talk about. So monotonously.

Ma'a so close. He deserved to score there.

Oh stop being so precious, New Zealand are an amazing team and get plenty of praise

Not being precious at all. You just don't seem to give them as much praise as others do.

I've given them plenty of praise, just ignore the on here who by the looks of it must be peed

Notch wrote:

ebop wrote:Damn

Still think my pre-game prediction of NZ by 25 points was over-egging them?

Notch, I'm surprised with the result, I truly am.

I didn't know which AB team would turn up. The fumbly one or the catchy one.  This result is very significant for us for a few reasons. We are taking this RWC seriously.

Great display by the mighty Blacks

I see the French team is doing a lap around the stadium to thank their fans.

Presumably, All Black players and supporters are going to ridicule them for doing so in the same way they did to England after Old Trafford in 1997.

In all honesty, Loaded Dog is certainly right about Nathan, every flipping comment he makes on this site is a moan about something.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:In all honesty, Loaded Dog is certainly right about Nathan, every flipping comment he makes on this site is a moan about something.

Guessing you've just read this last page of comments and not the whole thread....

Awesome display. Ok this is not the best french team ever but really - what a stuffing. Is that the highest score yet in the WC? where do you attack the ABs?

Rugby Fan wrote:I see the French team is doing a lap around the stadium to thank their fans.

Well, a few of them were and they were getting a good booing for their efforts, which isn't good to see.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:I see the French team is doing a lap around the stadium to thank their fans.

Well, a few of them were and they were getting a good booing for their efforts, which isn't good to see.

Think the French fans were booing PSA when he came up on the big screen.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:I see the French team is doing a lap around the stadium to thank their fans.

Well, a few of them were and they were getting a good booing for their efforts, which isn't good to see.

As was said on television, the boo's seemed to be when St. Andre was being interviewed on the big screen.  So may be not aimed at the players.

nathan wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:In all honesty, Loaded Dog is certainly right about Nathan, every flipping comment he makes on this site is a moan about something.

Guessing you've just read this last page of comments and not the whole thread....

I don't have to, I have to read your posts almost every day on here!

Rugby Fan wrote:I see the French team is doing a lap around the stadium to thank their fans.

Presumably, All Black players and supporters are going to ridicule them for doing so in the same way they did to England after Old Trafford in 1997.

Why would we do that?

Feeling pretty relieved. Roll on South Africa next week.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

nathan wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:In all honesty, Loaded Dog is certainly right about Nathan, every flipping comment he makes on this site is a moan about something.

Guessing you've just read this last page of comments and not the whole thread....

I don't have to, I have to read your posts almost every day on here!

Nobody is forcing you to!

TJ wrote:

quinsforever wrote:yellow and reversing the decision? thats a double penalty

Orginal pen against McCaw for holding the ball on the ground.  reversed for foul play.  100% right

Picamoles deserved yellow for putting his fist into McCaw's face (he didn't hit him, if he had R McCaw might still be unconscious). But the whole issue arose only because McCaw, after being blown for one offence, then deliberately clung on to the ball to stop the French s/h taking a quick pen if he chose to. In other words he gained an illegal advantage in a frustrating and illegal way. In the heat of the moment, Picamoles gesture was 100% wrong but understandable For having provoked the whole thing before and after the whistle, McCaw deserved yellow too, while the penalty should still have been reversed for Picamoles' foul play.

SH posters may jump on me here with howls of (?self-righteous) indignation. But there is an important gap between the letter of the law and the spirit of the game. It is surely wrong that a player who deliberately breaks the rules then does so again after the whistle somehow gains an advantage from his actions.

blackcanelion wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:I see the French team is doing a lap around the stadium to thank their fans.

Presumably, All Black players and supporters are going to ridicule them for doing so in the same way they did to England after Old Trafford in 1997.

Why would we do that?

Only you would know - but you did. Pity, because the England team were actually performing a lap of thanks to the Manchester crowd who, having been given a rare chance to host the national team, had responded by coming in large numbers and giving loud support to the England team. It had nothing to do with the result on the day.

blackcanelion wrote:Feeling pretty relieved. Roll on South Africa next week.

You must be mighty relieved, cane. The machine certainly did click into gear as we knew it could.
It's going to be a colossal semi final with SA next week.

Just back from the pub where we watched. mY goodness. What a drubbing. At least France were competitive until kickoff...............

Georgia, Namibia and Tonga put up a better showing than that

Well done NZ. Awesome mercyless performance. We were badly exposed as I feared We would be.
No doubt you're going all the way if you maintain that level of intensity and skills.

nathan wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

nathan wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:In all honesty, Loaded Dog is certainly right about Nathan, every flipping comment he makes on this site is a moan about something.

Guessing you've just read this last page of comments and not the whole thread....

I don't have to, I have to read your posts almost every day on here!

Nobody is forcing you to!

I jest good sir, it would be a very quiet forum without yourself and a few other prominent posters.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

nathan wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

nathan wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:In all honesty, Loaded Dog is certainly right about Nathan, every flipping comment he makes on this site is a moan about something.

Guessing you've just read this last page of comments and not the whole thread....

I don't have to, I have to read your posts almost every day on here!

Nobody is forcing you to!

I jest good sir, it would be a very quiet forum without yourself and a few other prominent posters.  

Not only that Rory... we'd be able to hear ourselves think. Imagine how nice that would be?

Gotta love Dan Carter on French TV : " tonight it was maybe a bit too easy for us.. "

Probably what Moody thought when he could easily catch Kockott who was only on the pitch for 10 minutes!

SimonofSurrey wrote:

TJ wrote:

quinsforever wrote:yellow and reversing the decision? thats a double penalty

Orginal pen against McCaw for holding the ball on the ground.  reversed for foul play.  100% right

Picamoles deserved yellow for putting his fist into McCaw's face (he didn't hit him, if he had R McCaw might still be unconscious). But the whole issue arose only because McCaw, after being blown for one offence, then deliberately clung on to the ball to stop the French s/h taking a quick pen if he chose to. In other words he gained an illegal advantage in a frustrating and illegal way. In the heat of the moment, Picamoles gesture was 100% wrong but understandable  For having provoked the whole thing before and after the whistle, McCaw deserved yellow too, while the penalty should still have been reversed for Picamoles' foul play.

SH posters may jump on me here with howls of (?self-righteous) indignation. But there is an important gap between the letter of the law and the spirit of the game. It is surely wrong that a player who deliberately breaks the rules then does so again after the whistle somehow gains an advantage from his actions.      

Same thing happened in the Scotland - Samoa game - Samoan holds Ryan Wilson off the ball and Wilson lashes out with the boot. Yellow for Wilson, Samoan guy didn't even get a talking to!

RDW_Scotland wrote:

SimonofSurrey wrote:

TJ wrote:

quinsforever wrote:yellow and reversing the decision? thats a double penalty

Orginal pen against McCaw for holding the ball on the ground.  reversed for foul play.  100% right

Picamoles deserved yellow for putting his fist into McCaw's face (he didn't hit him, if he had R McCaw might still be unconscious). But the whole issue arose only because McCaw, after being blown for one offence, then deliberately clung on to the ball to stop the French s/h taking a quick pen if he chose to. In other words he gained an illegal advantage in a frustrating and illegal way. In the heat of the moment, Picamoles gesture was 100% wrong but understandable  For having provoked the whole thing before and after the whistle, McCaw deserved yellow too, while the penalty should still have been reversed for Picamoles' foul play.

SH posters may jump on me here with howls of (?self-righteous) indignation. But there is an important gap between the letter of the law and the spirit of the game. It is surely wrong that a player who deliberately breaks the rules then does so again after the whistle somehow gains an advantage from his actions.      

Same thing happened in the Scotland - Samoa game - Samoan holds Ryan Wilson off the ball and Wilson lashes out with the boot. Yellow for Wilson, Samoan guy didn't even get a talking to!

Similar thing happened in the Australia - England game - Australian dives recklessly into maul and Brown lashes out with fist. Yellow for Hooper, English guy didn't even get a talking to!

That must be the worst French team i have ever seen.

But take nothing away from NZ they was great from the start to the end.

Once upon a time it was all about which France turned up. Nowadays it's always the same France.

Well done NZ.

No side would have lived with that. That was a real game designed to end the bullcrap about the French and All Black rivalry. It set out to humiliate the French and I guess it did a spectacular job.

The World Cup looks suddenly a very hollow affair though as 'contenders' revert to 'survivors for now'.

Superb ABs, just superb 1 I am now quaking when The Warriors take on Racing 92 after that display by DC

Before this game i thought Australia would be the team to beat....Having watched this game though i am not so sure any more.

I do think it may come to Australia v New Zealand final.

Personally I was disappointed in France this morning, they were too soft in too many areas, in that second half they gave up, which doesnt really do the ABs much good, as South Africa is going to be a lot tougher next week.

As a Kiwi, I do enjoy watching ruthless rugby being played when supplemented with skill and pace, it may to some just look lethal, but its about blowing the opposition off the park with a full range skills, can they do it again in this tournament, Im not so sure. But I'd love to see them try.

Very impressed tonight with the ABs lineout, but again SA will bring more options and contest more.

Also like the idea of leaving Reid in the middle of the park for his defence, let Coles run the tram lines as SA will run at Carter all day.

Great display by NZ.

Looks like a couple of posters went 'full special' tonight.

I tried to explain to people how poor this France side were, noone would listen, and too many were holding onto a past myth of french flair.

aucklandlaurie wrote:...As a Kiwi, I do enjoy watching ruthless rugby being played when supplemented with skill and pace, it may to some just look lethal, but its about blowing the opposition off the park with a full range skills...

Couldn't agree more. It's not pretty if you want the element of suspense in a game, but you just have to sit back and admire the way players naturally fall into the right attacking shapes no matter what the scoreline.

Fanster wrote:I tried to explain to people how poor this France side were, noone would listen, and too many were holding onto a past myth of french flair.

People didn't think NZ would destroy them? Huh? I'm not sure who you have been talking to.

Fanster wrote:I tried to explain to people how poor this France side were, noone would listen, and too many were holding onto a past myth of french flair.

I tried to explain that the All Blacks were laughing at the headlines they were getting through their pool, and quite a few laughed at me

This was much more a story of New Zealand than it is one of France.

Sad to see Freddie Michelack hobble off a very great French player.

SecretFly wrote:

Fanster wrote:I tried to explain to people how poor this France side were, noone would listen, and too many were holding onto a past myth of french flair.

I tried to explain that the All Blacks were laughing at the headlines they were getting through their pool, and quite a few laughed at me This was much more a story of New Zealand than it is one of France.

Yes! that was very funny.

goneagain wrote:Great display by NZ.

Looks like a couple of posters went 'full special' tonight.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

It seems if you post a legitimate point of view against Richie McCaw or the New Zealand rugby team, you will be labelled as 'bitter' and a 'troll', from people who seemingly have very little clue about how to conduct a discussion beyond pathetically resorting to insults.